The Chosen One
by PadmeOnPaper
Summary: Master Luke Skywalker works on rebuilding the Jedi Temple, Jaina and Zekk lose their first child, Ben Skywalker is taken captive, and Anakin Skywalker has returned to meet his family. AniPadme LukeMara JainaZekk
1. Prologue

**Hey ev'body! I know this is real short like but its just the Prologue so its aloud to be this small. I guess.. yeah...so um, this story is actually been writen...already. I needed to tweek it and I ran out of notebooks so I figured a fanfic would work just as well. Soooo yeah. **

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**Prologue**

The small forest moon, the fourth in line around the gas giant Yavin, was home to Master Skywalker's Jedi Academy. That was before the war. Now, the Jedi had rebuilt the Jedi Temple on Coruscant from a template that Master Skywalker had found which left Yavin 4 open for something else. At first it was a rehab. center for pilots and combat units that were injured in war efforts. Now that the war was over, it had become one of the best medical faculties in the galaxy.

One of the Yavin 4 medical center's biggest assets was child care. Newborns with difficulties from nearby systems are sent to the Med. Center for treatment. There were so many rooms in the Massassi temples that each child had its own room and nursing staff. Rarely was a child's life lost on Yavin 4. Rarely…

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**Read & Review if you please!**

**-PadmeOnPaper**


	2. Gone

**Here's chapter one. No intro. of characters needed here. Its already ppl you know.(so far)Or should know, anway.  
Oh, and Zekk's last name is Solo because he married without a last name, thus taking on his brides name. Get it? Got it? (good). Enjoy! **

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The human child was in room 457c, in the north most Temple used for intensive care. The girl had been born on Yavin 4, so she had her mother on the moon with her. A special treat for most babies although this child's mother hadn't seen her yet. 

A new model of a 2-1B droid hovered near the incubator that housed the small baby. She'd been born prematurely so it was important that the droid not make any contact with her. The droid hovered close, beeping quietly as it examined the tiny human girl. The red hue that surrounded the tiny figure inside the incubator was slowly dwindling and it concerned the medical droid. Never in its memory card could it find where one of its patients had died in its care. The baby waved its tiny arms at the droid then they dropped to her sides. The red hue went out, signaling the loss of life. The tiny life was gone.

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Jaina Solo slowly sat up and swung her legs over the side of her bed. She was sore and tired from her long night, but she'd brought a new life into the world and couldn't wait to see it.

"Jaina." The voice was warning.

"I gatta see her!"

"Jaina, lay back down." Zekk Solo gently pushed his wife back down on the bed and sat down beside her.

"They said we could see her, Zekk." The smallest of a tear leaked out from the corner of her eye.

'Don't cry, Jaina, we'll see her. She'll be with us for the rest of our lives." Jaina leaned against her husband.

"I know. But I haven't gotten to see her yet." Jaina closed her eyes. Seven months of waiting, of preparing, she'd waited so long to hold her child.

A threepio droid stepped into the room and cleared its throat.

"umm yes…2-1B-" He was shoved aside by a hoversled carrying a tiny wrapped bundle and a 2-1B droid close behind. The sled stopped close to the bed and the bundle became more visible. "Well really!" The protocol droid huffed and left the room. Jaina stood up and Zekk wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

"I am sorry. We did everything we could but the child couldn't hold up. She fought it, though. You should be proud of-" The droid stopped when it noticed the Solo's weren't listening. Jaina had fallen back on the bed without making a sound. Zekk took a hesitant step forward and gently picked up the limp bundle.

"Tirre." He whispered softly, holding the tiny girl up to his cheek. She was cold, silent, gone. "Tirre." Jaina covered her face with her hands and sobbed. Gone. She was gone. Her little girl. Gone. _Gone._

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Jedi Master Luke Skywalker parried with one of his most promising students, Yak'an Le in one of the finished training rooms of the Jedi Temple. He threw blow after blow at her and she managed to block them all with flourish. Luke swung his training saber around to take her near the waist when a disturbance rippled through him.

_Gone._

Luke paused in mid stroke, his concentration failing him. Yak'an Le took his saber easily and tapped him on the thigh with the end of hers. The blade stung his flesh for a moment, but he hardly noticed his attention on the pain.

"What is wrong, Master Skywalker?" Tak'an asked, flipping a head tail over her shoulder.

"Jaina." Luke raced towards the doorway, tossing the training saber back to Tak'an Le as he ran. _Mara!_ He called through the force. His wife, Mara Jade Skywalker, was somewhere in the temple overseeing construction. _Mara!_ He kept calling as he raced to where he felt her presence. She was already heading towards him, meeting him in the main corridor above the entrance. "Jaina."

"I know. Something's happened on Yavin 4." She and Luke took off for the comm. station, their robes billowing out behind them. They knew Leia Organa Solo would be getting in touch.

They were right. Eni-Fel Dorob was in the comm. center taking in messages as they ran in.

"One from Mrs. Solo, Masters." He said, quickly abandoning his seat to Luke. Leia and Han's figures appeared in a blue haze of a holograph just above the projector at a touch of a small button.

"Luke! What's happened?" Leia sounded frightened but Han just looked confused.

"What are you talking about? What?" He turned to Luke. "What?"

"Something's happened with Zekk and Jaina." Han's eyes grew wide as he turned now to his wife.

"What?" Leia ignored him.

"Can you tell what's happened? What's wrong?" Mara leaned over Luke's shoulder so the projector would pick her up.

"It has something to do with a small life." Luke nodded.

"That's what I felt too." He closed his eyes and concentrated everything towards his niece. He felt himself fly through the force towards the former location of his Jedi Academe. Jaina was there, he could feel her. And Zekk. They were in pain. Zekk held something…what was it? A void in the force, a life was missing. Their baby. That was it. Jaina must have-

"Their child." He whispered. "Leia, Jaina went into labor last night! That's what you were feeling from her. That's what was keeping you awake all night."

"But it's too early. She would've had complications!" Luke gave his sister a grim look.

"They did."

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**Didja cry? I did and I was writing it!  
NEwho...**

**Please read and review!  
Gracias!  
-PadmeOnPaper**


	3. To Yavin 4!

**Chapter 2...read and review for me...oh, and enjoy!**

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Leia Organa Solo reluctantly followed the representatives of the Councils into meeting room 3B9-12 in Imperial Palace. She'd argued with Han about the meeting, saying she should skip it and go with Luke to Yavin 4, but Han insisted she stay one more day and get her priorities in order before they left. He would be looking over the _Millennium Falcon_ with C-3PO to make sure everything was in order, and they would leave for the Yavin System first thing in the morning. But right now, Leia needed to get her mind focused or she'd never make it through this next meeting.

The delegates greeted each other and her pleasantly then they all sat down around a long oval table. The subject at hand was Imperial remnants and Pirates in the Unknown Territories. As the details of the discussion appeared before her on a holopad, Leia's mind began to wander once again.

Her daughter had had complications, resulting in her child being born prematurely. She had been a fairly healthy baby, a girl they had named Tirre. Unfortunately something had gone wrong and the child had died in the hands of a 2-1B droid. That was all Leia knew. That was part of the reason why she wanted to leave as soon as possible. That and to see her daughter and son- in- law. She could feel their pain and it was wearing her down faster than an argument with the Senator of Kamino.

"Leia Organa Solo." Leia looked up, startled. Thankful that it didn't show, she nodded to the assembly. The man at the head of the table nodded back then continued introducing the rest of the delegates. "Now for the matter at hand. We have reason to believe that the Empire is considering joining forces with Pirate groups to over power uncharted systems in the Unknown Regions." A few representatives nodded solemnly, but a few, Leia included, frowned.

"The Empire would only do that as a last resort. You know how they are about Non- humans, and that's what most of the Pirate groups are made of." Representative Fenl said sharply. Leia nodded in agreement.

"The Empire wouldn't dare for fear of its people finding out and punishing them as best they can." She added. The man at the end of the table, Senor Debblin, shook his head.

"They've done it before. Think of Wraith Squadron." Leia thought of the hodge-podge group General Wedge Antilles had put together. They had joined Imperial forces as a Pirate group called the Hawk-bats. The ploy had worked and the Wraiths and Rogues had managed to destroy the Imp and his _Super_ class Star Destroyer.

"But that Imp. wasn't anything more than a War Lord wanting power and sense the Empire wouldn't give it to him, he took it for himself." Leia said forcefully. They knew that, she shouldn't have to tell them. The debate continued, though, and Leia sighed. She would be here for a very long time.

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Masters Luke and Mara Jade Skywalker flew along in hyperspace in the _Jade Shadow_ on their way to the Yavin 4 Medical Center. The trip seemed long and slow, and Mara was constantly trying to add more power to the hyperdrive unit. Jacen Solo, Jaina's twin brother, sat in the co-pilot seat staring at the stars flying around them. He'd hardly said a word most of the trip, and this worried his Aunt and Uncle. He was usually cracking corny jokes. The more corny the joke, the more nervous or upset he was. But today he kept quiet, lost in his own thoughts, most likely worst scenario about his twin sister.

"Jacen." The Jedi looked up at Mara. "She's just fine." He shook his head.

"She's not. She's in pain. She's hurt, angry…she's not trying to move on." Mara understood. Jacen had a special bond with his sister, a twin bond, much like what Luke and Leia have. He could sense things about his sister that the rest couldn't; one being her current condition.

"Are you sure?"

"She won't answer me." He stared back out at the lines of stars.

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The message came in on the old Jedi Frequency. It crackled and fizzed out on occasion, but could be understood. It was from a man decked out in Jedi robes, but Jedi Knight Eni-Fel didn't recognize him. He requested the message be sent straight to 'Master Luke Skywalker and family.' He shrugged to himself and sent the message to Luke Skywalker's office in the finished West wing. There it would stay until Master Skywalker returned from the Yavin System.

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"Get out! Go Away! This is all your fault! Your fault!" Jaina Solo cried. "Get out!" Picking up a small vase of flowers with the force, Jaina threw it at Zekk. The man ducked out of the way as the vase hit the wall.

"Jaina! Jaina stop!"

"No!" She screamed. "She's dead! She's dead and it all your fault! I hate you! Get out!" Her voice was shrill, her anger sending every object in the room flying into the walls. What was tied down ruptured, sending shards flying through the air. Zekk did his best to shield himself from the flying objects. When there was nothing else left to break, Jaina fell back on the bed and sobbed uncontrollably. Carefully , Zekk stepped towards her. When she didn't react to his presence, he took her up in his arms.

"Jaina." He cried silently, rocking her back and forth. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

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Luke Skywalker closed his eyes tight and tried to escape the thoughts leaking though. It was Jaina. She was upset. More that upset. Luke felt Zekk Solo try to comfort her, to no avail. She was angry; angry at Zekk. The emotions increased as the _Jade Shadow_ left hyperspace and sped towards Yavin 4.

"Jaina. Hold on." Mara whispered as she steered her ship towards one of the many Massassi Temples. She landed the craft as quickly as she dared. They ran down the ramp and into the Temple.

"Where's the Solo's room?" Luke asked the Droid at the makeshift desk.

"One moment please." With an incredibly slow speed the droid looked through its banks. "Room 42D, 5th level." Mara was on her way to the turbolifts before the droid had a chance to finish. They rode the seemingly crawling lift to the 5th level, and ran down the hallway to Zekk and Jaina's room.

Luke said pausing outside their door. He could feel the turmoil inside. He didn't know what Jaina might do if they burst into her room and thoughts.

"You first, Jacen." He said, waving his nephew into the room. Jacen hesitated, then put on a brave face and entered.

"Jaina?" Luke peered into the room as Jacen called to his sister.

"Jacen, she's gone. She's gone."

"I know, Jaina." Jacen hugged his sister close. "I'm sorry. I've come to take you home." Jaina shook her head.

"No. There's nothing for me now. I don't want to go anywhere."

"Jaina, you must. Mom and Dad are waiting for you." They we're probably on their way now, but Jacen needed something to convince her. He gently pulled on her arm. "Please." She shook her head harder.

"No. Please, no. I can't. Not yet." Jacen sighed.

"Alright." Luke took Mara's arm and led her back towards the turbolift. He knew Jacen would stay with his twin until she fell asleep, at least.

"You know, I should probably get in touch with Ben. We left without telling him-"Luke cut Mara off.

"He knows." She fell silent.

"Luke, what are we going to do? I haven't seen Jaina like this…ever." That was saying a lot by itself. Jaina had fallen to the Dark Side once, giving into her anger about her younger brother, Anakin's death and twin's disappearance during the war. But this was different. Very different. Mara didn't understand, couldn't relate to what Jaina was going though. Only Leia. Mara looked up at Luke at this revelation. Luke nodded.

"Leia can relate. Hopefully she can help her get through this." Mara nodded slowly. Hopefully.

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The _Millennium Falcon_ arrived the next day, and Leia and Han managed to convince Jaina to leave the Medical Center with them. It was a long trip back to Coruscant and the Jedi Temple. Leia got Jaina to the medical Ward where the Jedi healers and their apprentices did their best to make her comfortable. There would be a long road to recovery. Leia canceled all her appointments for the next few days so she could stay with her daughter, and Luke made sure Jacen didn't have any upcoming missions, so he could stay in the Temple near his twin.

After recounting the events of the trip in a watered down form with his son, Ben, Luke headed towards his office to meditate. On the holocomm on his desk, a small red light flashed, indicating a waiting message. He sat down and pressed the button. A crackling blue figure appeared in miniature above his desk. Luke paused the message before the figure had a chance to speak and sat back in his chair, staring. The man was tall, and he wore a black vest with a dark brown Jedi's robe over top it. His hair was a dark blond, much like Luke's, and fell in waves to his shoulders. A long scar stretched down over the corner of his right eye. The look on his face was one of determination, much like how Leia looked just before she had to plead a case. Luke recognized him immediately.

"Father!"

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**Yep. You heard right. Father. _"duh duh duhhh...And the plot thickens"_ grins R&R  
muchas gracias  
-PadmeOnPaper**


	4. Anakin's Return

**Hey! This chapter will probably answer a few questions you were having about Ani coming back. This chapter explains it all, so R&R! Cant wait to hear from you!**

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Luke Skywalker stared at the holo of Anakin Skywalker a moment longer, and then pressed 'play'. The man in the message smiled a moment then began to speak. His voice was different than the one Luke had heard when he held his dying father in his arms. This voice was young, deep and strong. 

"Master Skywalker, I have been planning on visiting your Jedi Academy for a long time. I have been keeping up with the news of your new Jedi order and commend you on your efforts so far." Anakin paused, taking in a breath. "Yoda was mistaken when he said you would be the only Jedi left. I have been alive since Darth Vader's death. I live in a summer home that once belonged to a Senator of Naboo, Padme Amidala. I once knew her, so I have been comfortable here. I've sent you this message to let you know that I will be arriving at the Jedi Temple within the next three days. I look forward to seeing you, your sister, and your family." With a final smile, the holo began to repeat itself, so Luke shut it off. He sat back in the chair in bewilderment. How could his father come to visit? It didn't make any sense.

"Hey Skywalker, you up for some parrying?" Mara stuck her head in his office door, then frowned when she saw his face. "What's wrong?" Luke motioned his wife over to his desk. She sat down in his lap, looking confused. "What is it?" Luke flicked a finger at the holocomm projector and it began to play his father's massage. Mara sat stone faced as she watched her father- in- law tell her that he was visiting the Temple. When the message ended, she stood up and leaned against Luke's desk, getting a clear view of his face. "Who is he?" She asked, after a moment's silence.

"He looks like me doesn't he?" Luke asked staring at the spot his father's figure had just been. Mara nodded silently. "He's my father." The confusion on Mara's face was obvious.

"How can that be?" Luke shrugged.

"I guess we'll find out in a couple of days." Mara looked bewildered that Luke could shrug off such a thing as his father coming to the Jedi Temple.

"You mean you're not going to look into this? It could be a trick, a trap!" Luke stood up and started walking towards the door. Mara followed him closely, watching his face.

"It's not. I can feel it." Mara threw her hands up in the air. "Look, its nothing to get your feathers ruffled over, Mara. You still want to parry?" Mara grinned at the analogy.

"Yeah, sure."

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Eni-Fel Dorob ran into the training room, his robes billowing out behind him, his face suggesting urgency.

"Master Skywalker! Master Skywalker, he's here!" Luke sat up from the fallen position his wife had just put him in. He had only just told the Jedi to watch out for any ship asking permission to land, he didn't think his father would arrive just yet.

"What!" He stood up. "When?"

"Just now. He's flying an old ship. A yellow Jedi Starfighter from the Old Republic era, I believe." That could only be Anakin Skywalker. Luke ran from the training room, his lightsaber already on his belt, Mara on his heels. The Jedi Knight that had informed them yelled out the hangar bay his father would be landing on as they ran.

Mara stopped by the Healing Ward to grab Leia and Han, then caught up with Luke in the hangar bay. They we're just in time. A bright speck of light sped down through Coruscant's atmosphere and arrowed towards the Jedi Temple. Luke had to exert one of his breathing techniques to calm himself. Mara took his hand and squeezed it. She was just as baffled as Luke and Leia were. None of them believed that the man in the yellow Jedi Starfighter was really Anakin Skywalker. Leia had been the most skeptical when they told her.

"There's no way. There is absolutely no way." She had said. Mara and Han had agreed, but something told Luke there was a way.

The Clone Wars craft angled down into the docking bay. It was an interesting flying machine to say the least. Its two wings jetted out in front of the cockpit. An R4 unit chattered from its place to the left of the pilot. The hatch opened upwards and a tall strong man stepped out and over the right wing, holding his robes in his left hand while leaving his right, free. Both were gloved in long black gloves fastened with metal clasps. The man landed on the floor with a soft step, hardly making a sound, and gestured to his R4. The unit blatted a reply that made Luke think of R2-D2. The dark headed man looked up, and it was only then that Luke noticed something the holo message had not revealed about him; his eyes. They were the same sharp icy blue as Luke's. This man was no doubt Luke and Leia's father.

Luke took a hesitant step forward. He honestly didn't know what to do, and for once didn't bother to cover it up. Instead he reached out towards Anakin Skywalker with the Force, searching for familiarity. He found the same warm presence from this man as he did from his dying father so long ago on the Death Star.

"Father." Anakin Skywalker nodded with a smile.

"I owe you an explanation." He said in his deep voice. Luke nodded, then jumped slightly as his father's R4 unit jettisoned itself from its pocket in the Jedi fighter. The droid loosened the tension a bit and Luke gave a tight laugh. Anakin's laugh was hearty and comfortable. He didn't seem at all nervous with the situation.

Mara, seeing Luke still didn't know quite what to do, stepped up to her husband's side.

"Please, Jedi Skywalker, come in. We have a lot of talking to do." Anakin nodded, agreeing with her and stepped past Luke, following Leia, Han and Jacen towards the doorway. Luke gave his wife a grateful glance and hurried after his family. Mara, still skeptical, walked just behind him.

When they got inside Luke's office, Luke taking his chair, and other's standing or sitting around the room, Anakin began to explain.

"My name is Anakin Skywalker two. Your father, Anakin Skywalker, cloned himself during the Clone Wars so he would always be there for your mother, Padme Amidala. He never needed the clone, which was programmed to activate the second Anakin died, so it stayed in its secret place in the depths of Coruscant. It was also programmed to remember everything that ever happened in Anakin's life, from the moment he was born to the moment he died." The Clone shook his head. "Now I'm wishing he didn't do that. But anyway, when Anakin died on the Death Star, I was activated. I knew Padme was dead, and I also knew about you all, but I just couldn't work up the courage to join you. So, I hid on Naboo in Padme's summer retreat. Only when things settled down did I think I could confront you." His father's clone paused for a breath. "Your real father always enjoyed the thrill of the chase, but I didn't want to get involved in the war because I might've gotten killed before I got to know you. See, I don't get old, nor can I die of natural causes. The only way I can die is if I'm killed."

"You mean you don't age at all?" Jacen asked from behind the clone. Anakin turned and shook his head.

"If I did I wouldn't look like I just walked out of a 30 some year old hologram." Jacen silently agreed with a nod of his head.

"So what finally convinced you to come out of hiding?" Mara asked, crossing her arms. Anakin glanced over at her with a knowing look.

"Never did trust anyone, did you Mara?" He said, causing her to momentarily drop her guard. "I really don't know. I guess you could say it was the war's end, or perhaps the fact that I would hear news about the famous Jedi Twins and their lives, and wish I were a part of it. I missed you and I really didn't even know you." Mara still looked unsure, but he hadn't pulled a donor from his pocket or thrown any of them against a wall. Luke trusted him, and shot Mara a look that told her he did. Luke stood up, still behind his desk and stuck out a hand.

"Welcome back to the land of the living, Father." He said with a grin. Anakin grinned back and shook Luke's hand firmly.

"It's good to be back."

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**Not bad huh. Yeah, I know, I'm good. (haha, just kidding)  
so read and review for me!**

**muchas gracias,  
-PadmeOnPaper**


	5. Derratt

The arrival of Anakin Skywalker was nothing more than a minor setback in Mara Jade Skywalker's plans. She and Ben were still heading out to Derratt, a small, plain planet in the midrim, for a Senatorial dispute.

"Don't worry about us. We'll be back in a week or so." Mara said to her husband the day of their departure. Ben was already getting Mara's ship, the _Jade Shadow_, prepped for the trip. With a quick kiss for Luke, Mara headed up the ramp of her ship. "Ready to go?" She asked her son, settling into the pilot's chair.

"Yep!" With a final wave to Luke, the _Jade Shadow _lifted up out of the hangar and into Coruscant traffic lanes. After clearing Coruscant's gravity well, they headed into hyperspace.

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Kyp Durron, one of the many Jedi Knights working on completion work in the new Jedi Temple, paused his work long enough to confront Master Skywalker.

"Please tell me what's going on." Luke shook his head, confusion on his face.

"What do you mean?"

"The tension." The confusion cleared from Skywalker's face.

"My father has arrived." Now it was Kyp's turn to look confused. "Anakin Skywalker's clone has come to see the Temple and my Jedi Knights."

"Your father has a clone? Wouldn't you have known? Wouldn't you have felt him?" Luke shook his head.

"He _is _the Chosen One. How do you suppose Obi-Wan Kenobi and Yoda hid their presence from Darth Vader and the Emperor?" Kyp shrugged.

"Point taken."

"How the construction work going?"

"We've got the North Wing nearly finished. We just need the garden shrubs for the garden room and whatever else you want in there installed and your wife's office furnished and it's done." Luke nodded.

"That's good. That's very good. Keep up the good work." He suddenly looked distracted. Kyp felt someone approaching from behind. He turned to address Leia Organa Solo.

"How is she?" Luke asked her. The woman looked tired and haggard, like she had stayed up all night long.

"Not any different than when we got her here. Zekk is still with her."

"You need to get some sleep." Leia nodded.

"Han said the same thing. I'm on my way back to our apartment." Luke shook his head.

"You've got quarters here, you don't need to go all the way-"Leia silenced him with a shake of her head.

"Thanks but no thanks. I'd rather sleep in my own bed."

"I understand. We'll let you know if there's any change." Leia nodded again then yawned and moved past her brother and Kyp. As he watched her go, he realized she'd never even acknowledged his presence.

"Jaina?" He asked. He almost didn't need to. The look on Leia's face had told him who it was. He'd seen Jacen just a few moments before talking to Luke, so he knew he was alright.

"Yes. She lost her baby. It was a girl." Kyp nodded. Jaina and Zekk had been so happy.

"Is she alright?"

"Physically yes, mentally…not so much." Kyp nodded again then headed back into a room they were currently working on. He still had work to do, but maybe later on he would go visit his former apprentice.

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Anakin Skywalker wandered around the New Jedi Temple, taking in everything. It was very similar to the original one that he as Darth Vader had helped destroyed. The thought pained him. He pushed it aside and tried to focus on the here and now. Although he had had the original floor plan, Luke had made a few modifications. The Library, a place many Jedi Knights had loved and cherished had been one of the first rooms to be furnished. Although it contained fewer documents and information, it did hold an updated holo of the Galaxy. Anakin sat at one of the ports and drew up the document, marveling at how much more there was. What had once been known as the Unknown Regions was now more systems and even another small black hole cluster. It only consisted of three black holes, not as much as in the Kessel System, but still quite a few. Anakin caught himself smiling when he realized how they must have discovered the cluster. It had been named the Juvian Cluster, after a nearby star system. Anakin tapped on the mid rim and all the systems came up in alphabetical order. He scrolled down until he found the one he was looking for.

DERRATT

CAPITAL: ZINKATA

POPULATION: SMALL- 43,432,084

HUMAN: SMALL- 5,495,003

ALIEN: MEDIUM- 37,937,081

CLIMATE: EXTREME- MILD- EXTREME

LANDSCAPE: ½ DESERT-HABITABLE ½ OCEAN-HABITABLE BORDERLINE-

HABITABLE

AGRICULTURE: FISHING

INDUSTRY: DESTI STONE- OCEAN

IMPORTS: EVERYTHING SEE "EVERYTHING"

GOVERNMENT: ZINKATA COUNCIL:

CHAIRMAN- CLOO-LATEN

DISCRIPTION: DERRATT HAS A FIXED ORBIT. HALF DESERT, HALF OCEAN. EXTREME TEMPERATURES ARE BEARABLE BUT UNPLEASENT DISCURAGING SETTLEMENTS. ON THE BOARDERLINE IS THE CAPITAL, ZINKAYA, BUILT A PERFECT CIRCLE HALF ON WATER HALF ON LAND.

Anakin looked up from the entry hearing someone approach him. Luke stood next to him looking over his shoulder at Derratt's description.

"Has Mara left yet?" Anakin asked him, looking up from his reading. Luke nodded.

"Yeah. She took Ben with her as her apprentice. They think they'll be back within a week."

"She thinks its going to be easy?"

"It's just a senatorial dispute. It wont take long." Anakin shook his head.

"Sometimes they do. Most times they do. There's always a lot of legal battles."

"Perhaps." Luke straitened. "Have you been wandering around?"

"Yes. You did a good job. Quite a bit of the design is the same." Anakin said closing the document on Derratt, returning the port to its normal setting. "Some of it is different, though."

"I wanted it to have a bit of the old and the new in it. Not just a new design, not just the old." Anakin nodded and stood up.

"That makes sense." Luke jerked a finger at the port Anakin had been using.

"What were you looking up?" Anakin glanced back at it.

"I was taking a look at the galaxy map. I haven't seen one since the Clone Wars. There's so much more now." Luke nodded then grinned. It almost caused a big dispute in the Provisional Council. They didn't know what to name the Unknown Regions. Granted, it's hard to rename something after so long. But they were no longer unknown so-" Anakin laughed. The Unknown Regions had been, well, unknown sense before the Clone Wars. Anakin had never known them as anything else. But now it really didn't have a name. It was left blank, names only given to the systems it now contained.

"Master Skywalker!" Luke turned around to confront one of his students.

"Yes?"

"A transmission from Derratt."

"Derratt? It couldn't be from Mara, she just left."

"No, Master. It's from the Zinkaya Council." The Jedi said holding out a holochip. Luke took it and thanked the boy. As soon as he was gone, Luke sat at the port Anakin had left. He slid the chip into its correct slot.

LOADING TRANSMISSION… … …

INCOMING MESSAGE:

"MASTER LUKE SKYWALKER. THE ZINKAYA COUNCIL OF THE JUVINILE PLANET OF DERRATT IS REQUESTING TWO OF YOUR MOST CAPIBLE JEDI KNIGHTS FOR A MISSION UNTO OUR DESERT SIDE. WE HAVE LOST CONTACT WITH A SMALL SETTLEMENT CALLED VELDE TWO. WE REQUEST YOU SEND US TWO JEDI TO DISCOVER WHY WE HAVE LOST CONTACT AND TO RESTORE THAT CONTACT. PLEASE LET US KNOW IF YOU CAN DO THIS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE IF AT ALL. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. CHAIRMAN CLOO-LATEN."

Luke looked up at his father, who raised his eyebrows.

"They want Jedi Knights to look into a local problem?" At that moment an attachment came up showing the seal of the Zinkaya Council. Luke opened the attachment revealing a map of the Planet of Derratt. It showed the Capital placed at the planet's borderline and a dark red dotted line leading out into the desert side. There was a key in the corner showing what and where landmarks are. After a moment, Anakin grinned. "Okay, so they need Jedi Knights."

* * *

I'm real sorry I havent been updating lately. Theatre, finals and such. But I'll try to keep it up from now on.

-PadmeOnPaper


	6. Two Weeks later

**Hey everyone. My upmost apologies. Went on vacation to the west and forgot to let you know. So this is the next chapter. Its startin' to get good. If I do say myself.**

* * *

Luke sat off to the side in one of the newly finished training rooms watching some of his older students practice their skills. As his eyes followed a young girl's lightsaber arch towards her foe's, his mind wandered away from the present. Kyp Durron had been chosen to be sent to Derratt and had, rather reluctantly, taken a young woman, Hara Nempla, along with him as a temporary padawan. Luke hoped the pairing would do them both good, for Hara was as spoiled and headstrong as they come. A good match for one certain Kyp Durron. The pair had left just two weeks ago and had not been in touch with Luke or the Jedi Temple sense then. He hoped that meant things were going more or less according to plan.

Luke's mind was still on Kyp and Hara when the students before him halted in their paring. They were both looking in his direction. That meant one of them had done something he would have rebuked. In his mind's eye, Luke reviewed the battle he had only partially seen. He quickly found the problem. Taking a look at the young girl he noticed the slight burn mark on her left thigh. There was a reason one practiced with low powered lightsabers.

"Shella, you need to stay in a defensive position, even if he's not attacking." He said, trying to hold back a smile. That was Shella Me'len's worse mistake. If her attacker backed away for even half a second, she dropped her guard. The girl nodded and held up her training saber once more. Her opponent, Jak Feli came forward once more and Luke, once again returned to his own thoughts. He hadn't heard from Mara and Ben in a while either. That could mean anything. Mara usually kept him up to date, Ben tended to wait until something he thought was "exciting" happened before he sent a report of any kind. The sudden silence in the room caused Luke to look up at the duelists. They're attention was on the door. Zekk Solo stood there, looking around the room. When his eyes caught Luke's, he knew something was wrong. He headed for the doorway, joining his sister's son-in-law in the hallway.

"What is it?" He asked the question even though he already partly knew they answer.

"It's Jaina. She's gotten worse. She wont- just come on." They two Jedi headed for the infirmary where his niece was still being held. Over the past few weeks not much had happened. She wasn't improving nor was she growing any worse. That had apparently changed. They reached Jaina's room just as Leia Organa Solo stepped out.

"Oh, Luke. I've got to go. But I think…" She smiled faintly. Thing's weren't looking good. He stepped into the room and looked towards his niece's bed. She lay perfectly still, barely breathing enough to sustain her life. Zekk sat on the edge of her bed and took her hand. It was limp and lifeless and pale. All of her was pale. Luke stepped forwards and gently laid his hand on her forehead. He wasn't a healer but he knew he could at least send her some comfort. He gently stretched out into her mind and nearly got knocked over. Her pain rushed over him like a waterfall, leaving him shaken to the core. He had no idea she was in so much pain, suffering so much.

"_Jaina."_ He called out to her, the Jaina he knew and loved was missing. _"Jaina, must you do this to yourself?"_ Her answer came from nowhere in particular and was discouraging.

"_Yes." _He knew that was all he was going to get. He quickly pulled out of her pain filled mind and looked over at her husband. He was looking down at the hand he was stroking, a tear running ever so slowly down his cheek. Luke shook his head and sent one last thought to his niece before turning away.

"_How can you do this to him?"_

_mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm_

Kyp Durron drove the speeder as fast as he could over the sands of the planet Derratt's desert side. There was nothing in his way, nothing to hinder his speeder beside a few sand drifts. It was like Tatooing, maybe with a few less threats. Nothing lived out here and what little did was disappearing and not telling anywhere where they were going.

When Kyp and his temporary padawan had arrived on Derratt a good week and a half, they had met up with Mara and Ben Skywalker then with the Zinkaya Council who gave them the details on the tiny desert village. They had then stayed in the capital citylong enough to gather together some supplies of food and water, maps of the easiest ways across the desert side and as much information on the desert village culture. Finally they rented a speeder and headed out for Velde 2. Kyp hoped this mission would be as easy as fixing a faulty comm. station and heading back to Coruscate. It was with these thoughts on his mind that Kyp felt a powerful push though the force and found himself flying through the air on a one course crash with a sand dune.

_mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm_

With a groan, 19- year- old Hara Nempla sat up slowly and placed a hand on her head.

"Kyp?" She called, finding her voice horse. She cleared it as best she could and called again. "Kyp?"

"What?"

"Kyp! Are you alright? What happened? Where are we? Did-"

"Shut up!" Kyp Durron sat up slowly, his face screwed up in pain.

"Sorry." Hara mumbled, trying to stand up. "Do you need help?" She asked her companion when she'd made it to her feet.

"No." He growled then shook his head. Hara grabbed his outstretched hand and hauled him to his feet as best she could. Only when she was sure he was okay did she look around. A good fifteen meters behind them was the speeder. Or rather, what was left of it. It's engine was smoking and smashed beyond repair. Most of their supplies had been thrown from the speeder as well and lay on the sand around it. The front of the vehicle had been punched into itself and the whole thing was partially buried in sand. She watched as Kyp slowly walked around their craft then began picking up stray supplies. She finished packing back into the speeder and looked around. As far as the eye could see was nothing but desert sands. Not a singing settlement in sight.

"Now what?" She asked. There was no way they could drive the speeder any farther than their current spot, of that she was sure. Kyp rolled his eyes at her elementary question and began taking their things from the speeder and placing them in a backpack.

"We walk." He said simply and started out away from the wreckage in the direction it faced.

"What!"

"Hara! The galaxy does not revolve around you! There is no way we can use that speeder anymore. I cant fix it, you cant fix it, its not fixable. And we cant just sit here and pray someone happens by. It dosnt work that way. Now your either going to have to trust me or so help me you'll die in this desert!" With that he swung around and trudged off through the sand. Hara stared after him then, picking up her own pack, slowly began following him at a distance.

_mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm_

Anakin Skywalker was paring with his son when it happened. A feeling so intense it knocked him flat. It was a scream coming though the Force loud and harsh. Another cry joined it and it took Anakin a moment to recognize it as his son's.

"_Ben!" _Anakin threw himself to his feet just as the harsh screams falter and was finally cut off. He looked around for his son, but Luke was already on his feet and running from the room. He followed close on his heels, his longer legs catching him up to the Jedi Master with ease. His mind was still clouded with confusion and the painful impression left behind back the scream. Luke was running to the communications consoles. The young Jedi that worked at the consol had been knocked out cold not able to withstand such a blast from the Force. Luke, for once, totally ignored the fallen Jedi and typed into the comm. station. Anakin knelt by the padawan holding his head up off the floor as he came to. Meanwhile Luke had made a communication's link to the _Jade Shadow. _Mara was there to answer the link.

"Mara what's happened? Where's Ben?" Mara held his gaze for half a second then burst into tears. Luke suddenly wished he hadn't let Mara take Ben on this mission.

"I don't know, Luke. He disappeared not long ago and I've been searching for him. I didn't want to alarm you so I didn't tell you. I figured he had just gotten lost or something."

"Mara-" She interrupted him.

"Luke I don't want you coming…" She paused. "When can you get here?" Under any other circumstances Luke would have laughed. They made arrangements then Luke cut the transmission.

"Father, you don't have-"

"I'm coming." Anakin wasn't about to stay behind. "When are we leaving?" Luke answered by calling up his sister at the Senate.

"As soon as we can."

* * *

**Okay, I'm not going to make any promises this time. But I will try. Really. Please review!**

**-PadmeOnPaper**


	7. Arrival

**disclaimer: George Lucas' world, my standbox. No cash involved. The character's you recognize are not mine. The rest are.  
Hope you enjoy. This was a rather hard chapter to write. **

* * *

Anakin Skywalker stuck out from under his Jedi Starfighter, the sounds of metal clinking. He was too busy tweaking one thing or another to hear the _Millennium Falcon _land nearby. The voices of Han Solo and Leia caught his attention and he shimmied his way out from under the Fighter.

"Luke said something about-"

"Ow!" Anakin rubbed his head and looked up at the edge of his yellow Fighter then grinned at how many times he'd done that in the past. He glanced in Leia's direction then did a double take. She was wearing a white ensemble much like something he'd seen before. But what caught his eye was the sweater. She wore it backward over her shoulders. Her hair was in a dozen tiny braids bundled at the nape of her neck.

"-follow my lead, Han, it's not all that hard." She shook her head and the couple headed for the far doorway.

"Okay, okay, fine! I won't argue!"

"_Look, whatever happens out there, follow my lead, I'm not interested in getting into a war here. Maybe I can find a diplomatic solution to this mess."_

"_Don't worry; I've given up trying to argue with you."_

Anakin shook the memory out of his mind. Leia was so much like her mother. He shook his head again and shimmied back under the Fighter.

--

"Zekk?"

"Jaina!" Zekk flew to his wife's bedside. "You're awake." She smiled and grasped his hand.

"And I'm sorry. I didn't mean to just…disappear like that and-and I-"

"Jaina." Zekk gently pulled her against him. "It's okay."

"Not it's not. I-" He kissed her, cutting off her words, just as Han Solo stepped into the room. He paused, his words dying on the tip of his tongue. Remembering how often Threepio interrupted him and Leia, he left them.

He headed back to the hanger where Leia was working on the _Falcon. _

"Well?" Leia asked pulling an old valve out of its slot.

"They're-uh- busy." Leia twisted the new valve in as hard as she could, stomped her foot and twisted harder with both hands.

"So they can't come?" She wiped her hands on her white trousers and tackled the valve again.

"I didn't say that…I didn't get a chance to ask."

"I see." Leia stomped both feet. "What are they…doing?" She asked, straining. Han's face turned a slight shade of pink. When he didn't answer, she glanced back at him.

"Ah." She tried twisting the valve one more time than gave up. "You going to help me or not?" Han chuckled. With one hand he twisted the valve in the rest of the way. Leia stared at it for a moment then shook her head. "That is sad."

--

They left two hours later. Jacen, Jaina and Zekk in Zekk's ship, the _Exalted Heir, _Han, Leia, and Luke in the _Falcon_ with Luke's X-wing stowed away on top, and Anakin Skywalker in his Starfighter.

"Alright everybody, I know this sounds like a simple search and rescue mission, but it's not. Lives are on the line, the Zinkaya can be very hostile if they feel threatened. Now we don't know where Ben is but we know where Mara is meeting us; a restaurant in the capital city currently run by our good pal Lando Calrissian. We'll go from there." When Luke finished his speech, they lifted out of the hangar into Coruscanti traffic lanes.

"Here goes nothing." Han said as they cleared the planet's gravity. Five seconds later they we're in hyperspace headed to Derratt.

--

Kyp Durron tried to suppress his horror at the sight of the next valley.

"Uh, is something supposed to be there?" Hara Nempla asked trudging up the dune behind him. Kyp found himself using a calming technique of Skywalker's to keep from yelling at her again.

"Yes, Hara, a whole village. It's been totally wiped out."

"We're low on everything."

"I KNOW! I know. Maybe there will be something left." They headed down the sand dune and into the ruins of the small village. All the structures were burned to the ground.

"This would explain why the capital lost contact." Hara said to no one in particular. Kyp nodded.

"Yeah." They scavenged the ruins for any kind of food or water, or even a comm. link. "Nothing! Absolutely nothing!" Kyp said in disgust after the search.

"Um, Kyp?"

"Now what?"

"I found something." Kyp ran over to where the younger Jedi stood over a heap of burned rubble.

'What?"

"Children. And-" She pointed to a scar on some wood. Kyp's eyes widened.

"Lightsabers!"

--

Luke paced back and forth in the cockpit of the _Falcon._ He couldn't stand still now that they'd left hyperspace.

"Luke!" Han's voice was near shrill. They were all worried. "Sit down. You're going to wear a whole in the floor!" Leia grinned.

"Just something else you'd have to fix."

"You be quiet." Luke sat down behind his sister. His mind was racing. What could have happened to his son? Was Mara alright?

"_She's fine." _Luke started. It was Anakin. He glanced out the cockpit window to the left. There was his father's Starfighter. He could barely see Anakin in the fighter, but he could feel him. _"She's just fine."_ Luke sent a mental thank you as Han made contact with air control.

Luke tried to distract himself by taking a look at the planet Derratt. It looked just as peaceful as it wasn't. One half was desert and the other was a vast sea. The only civilization was on the line between the two. Well, most of it anyway.

After being granted clearance to land, the _Millennium Falcon_ and her 'escorts' were directed to the largest private landing platform. The platform itself was half on land, half on water, made that way for easy access anywhere by it's occupants.

Luke was headed for the ramp even before the _Falcon_ was fully on the ground, Leia following close behind. She smoothed down the white dress she had changed into and straitened her hair, which was still up in multiple braids. She paused to take a breath then slapped the ramp control.

With Han to her right and Luke to her left, they strode down the ramp toward their welcoming party.

"Princess Leia Organa Solo! We are _honored_!" The chairman of the Zinkaya Council stepped forward and took Leia's hand in both his suction cupped one's and bowed low over them.

"Thank you, Chairman Cloo-Laten." Leia said briskly. "But I have not come for Clawa bread and Tal. I would like to ask for your full support of me and my family." Cloo-Laten nodded vigerously.

"Yes, yes, anything at all. If there is any resistance, it will answer to me."

"I thank you again." Leia said. Luke noted that the rest of the crew had landed in various places around the _Falcon_. He watched as Anakin skillfully jumped out of his fighter and joined Zekk, Jaina and Jacen behind Han.

A large elite speeder stood off to the side, equipped to go on either land or sea.

"Will you be needing a driver or will your bodyguard do so?" The chairman asked, noticing Luke's wayward gaze. Luke and Leia glanced back at the person the Cloo-Laten had pointed to. Anakin Skywalker stood there a slight grin on his face. It made sense in Luke's eyes. Anakin wasn't known as a hero of the rebellion like his children.

"No, thank you, my husband will do the honors." Leia said politely. With that they all headed towards the speeder, Han climbing into the driver's seat, the rest piling into all available space. Han worked the controls and they pulled out off the platform and into the light traffic over the sea.

"Do you know where we're going?" Leia asked Han as they turned a corner. She looked up at the three story buildings. They were all plain, made of a red brick. Not one was higher than three stories. All the streets were lined with sidewalks that appeared and disappeared as someone needed to cross a street. She glanced back at her husband and saw he was grinning. He nodded towards a large billboard that hung from the side of a red building. It hosted a picture of Lando holding out a dish. Beside his picture was the word Lennedo's and under that was the address. Leia laughed out loud. The ad was very much like Lando.

They made good time, pulling into the restaurant's parking lot not five standard minutes after leaving the platform. Luke was the first one out of the speeder. He was inside asking for Lando before the rest of them made it out of the speeder.

"Nice Suit." Han said looking over his old friend's bright green and orange outfit and cape.

"Thanks! It's really helped with business!" He gave Han a hug then turned to Jaina and Jacen. "How ya doing, sports?"

"Just fine, Uncle Lando-" Jacen said grinning.

"But it looks like you've finally lost it." Jaina finished. Lando made a face.

"All in good time." He then turned to the Skywalkers. "She's in the back room, Luke."

"Thank you!" Without another word Luke took off through the dining area, Anakin at his heels. He paused a moment and if Anakin hadn't felt the sudden move through the Force they would have collided. Luke stretched out, looking for his wife's presence. He felt it, to his left, and ran towards it.

"Luke!" Mara Jade Skywalker ran from beside a long table and into his arms.

"Mara, are you alright?" He breathed in relief at having her with him, finally. She didn't answer him, just buried her face against his neck and held onto his robes like she was afraid of losing him.

"Luke, I kept feeling Ben. He's in pain. It's been running me ragged; I don't know how much more of it I can take." Luke stroked her hair, trying to console her. "I thought I could find him on my own, I didn't want you to have to come." She didn't need to speak her fears; he knew she was afraid of losing him as well.

"Hey, I'm not going to disappear. You know I can be just as stubborn as you." Mara's voice became quiet and serious.

"Stubbornness isn't going to do anyone any good this time, Skywalker."

* * *

**Sorry this one was late in comming. It's a rather difficut chapter. It took me a long time to write in my notebook as well. But its also one of the good ones.  
Please review...lemmi know if you have any questions or comments. It's all welcome.  
-PadmeOnPaper**


	8. Luke and Mara

**Wow, two chapters in one day, I'm on a roll! laugh**

* * *

Leia Organa Solo sat down heavily on the floating sofa in the large apartment suit the Zinkaya Council had granted the group.

"I still don't understand it. None of it makes any sense." She said in frustration. "If its ransom they want you would have been contacted by now." Luke sat down next to his sister, nodding. Mara sat on the arm rest next to him.

"It's almost like there's no motive." She said. Han, perched on the edge of an arm chair, shuddered.

"Like Darth Vader putting me on a grill without asking me any questions." He glanced at Anakin, who had taken the other chair. "No offence." Anakin ignored him.

"Maybe that's it." Anakin turned to Luke. "Darth Vader tortured your friends to get you to come to Cloud City. He was going to give you to his master. Perhaps that's what Ben's captors want; to lead you, Luke Skywalker, Jedi Master, into a trap." Luke nodded slowly.

"He has a point." Jaina said from behind her father's chair. "The easiest way to you is through Ben."

"Well I'm afraid they're doing a good job." Luke retorted.

"Luke, you can't let them get this much leverage. If Father is right, you're up for the battle of your life." Leia said putting a sympathetic hand on his arm.

"Yeah, I know." He stood up and slowly walked form the room. Anakin followed him out.

"What are we going to do now?" Jacen asked his mother, taking his Uncle's seat. "If Uncle Luke can be so shaken…" He let the sentence finish itself.

"I don't know, Jacen."

"What if the governments involved? We could all be in more danger than we know." Zekk said, putting an arm around Jaina.

"Zekk, with us around, you're always in danger." Han said with no smile.

--

"Luke?" Anakin hesitated.

"Please leave me alone."

"Have I told you about your mother?" Anakin went on. Luke stood silent for a moment, then shook his head.

"She was beautiful; the senator of Naboo." Luke said nothing. "And the Queen. Her name was Padme Amidala." Anakin leaned against the balcony rail next to his son. Luke spoke up.

"Padme Amidala. The story of her saving her people is well known on Naboo. That's where I heard it." He glanced at his father. "I also heard she died and was buried pregnant." Anakin shrugged.

"Well she couldn't have been buried that way. My guess is she died in child birth just as I…" He paused and cleared his throat. "Obi-Wan apparently didn't want Palpatine or Vader finding out about you and your sister." Luke nodded then looked up at Anakin.

"Just like you, what?" Anakin looked away from him, out over the capital city.

"Just- just as I dreamt she would." He said softly.

"Die in child birth?" Anakin looked down at his hands.

"Yes. My dreams were…never wrong. Padme knew they were never wrong. She knew she was going to die." Luke looked up at his father in surprise.

"She knew?"

"She knew I was never wrong. I wasn't wrong about my mother." He looked down again, avoiding Luke's gaze.

"Your mother? What-"

"Luke!"

"Out here." Mara came bursting through the doorway.

"It's Ben." Luke turned to face her.

"What is? What's happened?"

"We've got a message from him." Luke and Anakin followed Mara at a run to the comm. center in the main room.

"From Ben?"

"Yes." Mara's personal comm. link was hooked up to the comm. center. The Solos gathered around them as Mara pressed the 'play' button on her comm. link. Ben's face appeared on the large screen of the comm. center.

"Oh, Luke." Leia gasped. Ben's face was scarred with red lines from a whip and his eyes were dull with pain. From what they could see, his clothing hung in taters and was stiff with blood.

"Mom, Dad, I don't know if you'll get this message or not, I've rigged a small remote to send this out." His voice was horse, barely coming out at a whisper. Luke put an arm around Mara as their son continued. "A Sith Mastermind, or so he calls himself, Korth Vol has been keeping me captive in an old jail house underwater. I don't have any location to give you. He claims he's getting revenge on you, but I think it's a trap." The message fizzed out, and then came back in bad quality. "…try to find me. I don't want him to get a hold of you. He has…powers…Palpatine had. He knows what…doing. He's…away my ability to use the Force. I'm…out…care-" The message ended with a fearful look in Ben's eyes and static.

"He got caught." Han said, stating the obvious. Anakin was the first to turn away.

"Do you think the message itself is a trap?" Leia asked.

"I don't think so. Ben would have let us know somehow if it was." Jaina said softly.

"He's being beaten. That's when he's allowed to connect with the Force, when he's in too much pain to tell us anything." Luke whispered.

"And it's slowly eating away at you and Mara." Anakin said from the far window. He turned, his good looks reflecting the trouble in his eyes. "It's working, isn't it?" It was more of a statement than a question. Mara turned towards the comm. unit, not looking at anyone. Luke gently messaged his wife's shoulder. It was getting to them. Especially Mara. The normally tough, reliable woman was slowly breaking woman with every force cry heard from Ben. They all stood in silence for a moment.

"An underwater jail house. That's a lead." His voice held a spark of hope and determination. "We'll start there." He headed for the door.

Anakin looked up from the window suddenly. Luke sounded exactly like himself.

"Hold on, son." The sudden authority in his voice caused Luke to stop, and hopefully, think. "Use the Force, think. You may be doing the very thing Korth Vol wants you to do."

"_Anakin!"_

"_She went into the club, Master."_

"_Patience. Use the Force, think."_

"_Sorry, Master."_

"_He went in there to hide, not to run."_

Anakin could still hear the old lecture from Obi-Wan as he repeated it to his son.

"Yeah. Yeah, you're right."

"WHAT?" Mara suddenly exclaimed. "Anakin Skywalker you cannot just appear out of nowhere and think you can raise your children. It's not going to happen, they've lived this long without you, and you certainly can't tell us how to deal with out son! Luke is right, this is the only lead we have and I'm going to follow it! My son is dying, Skywalker!" She ran from the room in tears, disappearing into her and Luke's room.

"Father, I'm-"

"No. No, she's right. I'm trying to become part of a family that I'm not. Tomorrow I'll head back to Naboo if it's what you want. Leia has already made it clear she's not comfortable with me around, and now your wife. I'll just leave." Anakin disappeared into his room and Luke sat heavily on the sofa.

"Just great. I've lost my son and now I'm losing my father…"

"Uncle Luke, don't beat yourself up about it. It's not your fault." Jacen said.

"Could you talk to him? I need his help." Jacen hesitated then nodded and walked down the hallway to his grandfather's room.

"Why do you want him here so badly, Luke?" Leia asked sitting down next to him.

"Because he's our father, Leia, that's why. Why did you ever want your step- father around?"

"Luke, he's Darth Vader, how can you even-"

"Leia, that man in there is not Darth Vader. That is Anakin Skywalker, our father. Something Darth Vader could never be." With that Luke stood and followed Mara's path to their bedroom.

* * *

**Please review. Most all of this chapter I had written the way I wanted it in the notebook so I was more or less good to go. Although there wasnt that much action in this one. Mostly talk. I'm sorry about that. Hope you enjoyed it anyway. Comments and questions welcome!  
-PadmeOnPaper**


	9. The Search for Ben

"This is jrJedi. I'm in position."

"Copy, jrJedi, stand by." Han Solo answered his son. Jacen Solo lowered his comm. link and nodded to his grandfather. That was the signal. They were clear. Anakin Skywalker nodded in return and aimed his 650A minibomber at an angle towards the water. Jacen glanced around their dark surroundings from their perch atop a two story building. It was silent. This was the only city he had ever seen that was deathly quiet at night.

"Get ready." Anakin's words brought his back to the present. "Go!" Jacen jumped from the building in a smooth dive into the water. He used the Force to keep the water from rippling. Quickly sticking his breather into his mouth, he swam three meters east. An underwater missile whizzed by him striking the brick wall in front of him. His grandfather joined him in the water. The breach in the wall ad quickly resealed with a jelly-like substance, creating a flexible wall. It was a trick, Anakin had told him, that they'd learned from the Gungan's on Naboo.

The two men slipped right through the jelly, their hair and clothing instantly drying. They removed their breathers and stuck them back in their utility belts.

"We're in, SmugglerOne."

"Alright jrJedi. Look around, anything you find, report it. And don't get caught. Use that Jedi stealth thing you do." Anakin grinned at Han's comment.

"Should we split up?" Jacen asked, replacing his comm. link on his belt. Anakin frowned for a moment.

"Yeah, let's do that. I'll keep my comm. link handy." Grandfather and grandson took off in two different directions in search of any sign of Ben.

--

"How are they doing?" Leia asked her husband softly. He shrugged.

"The comm.'s been rather quiet. I don't really know-"

"SmugglerOne, we've got something." Anakin's voice came over the receiver.

"Go ahead, RepublicJedi, whatcha got?"

"Something that looks like an old torture chamber. It doesn't look like its been used in a while. Abandoned, I guess." Leia leaned over Han's shoulder.

"You think they could be moving him around?" She asked. Anakin let out a low hum.

"I wouldn't play sabacc on it, but yes they may not want us to actually find him yet." The conversation ended and Leia headed into the living area. She sat in the dark, listening to Han's restless beating on the comm. unit. Things stayed quiet for a good while after her father's discovery. _My Father's discovery._ _My Father. _A terrifying scream cut through her thoughts. It was Ben and it was horrid. His pain filled her mind, causing her to cry out. She fell sideways on the sofa, clutching her head, willing her nephew's pain away.

"Leia! Leia, are you okay? Leia!" Ben's pain finally faded away and Leia went limp against Han. "Leia what happened?"

"Ben! It was worse. I felt like I was being…" She gasped, the memory of the pain almost as bad as the pain itself.

"Then he really was caught." Leia sat up fast.

"Mara!" The Solo's ran back to Luke and Mara's room. Jaina and Zekk were already there. "Luke are you- oh no." Luke lay on the bed, Mara limp in his arms. Tears rolled unchecked down her brother's cheeks; something Leia rarely to never saw.

"She's gone. She's gone after Ben." He said softly. Leia knew what he meant. When the Force was open to Ben, Mara could slip into a Force-meld with her son. Kind of like mentally holding hands to be stronger. When the Force was closed to Ben again she was trapped in his mind with him, causing her to be physically unconscious.

"Maybe she can help him." Jaina said.

"Or see where he is and tell us when she comes back." Zekk said hopefully. Luke didn't react to their comments. Leia gently pulled Mara away from Luke to lay her flat and Luke reacted. He jerked his lightsaber from his belt ignited it. Absolute rage poured from his expression as he sliced the blade towards his sister's head. Unable to defend herself, Leia watched it as though in slow motion, close in on her.

"Luke!" Han screamed when he saw what his brother- in- law was about to do. Then suddenly the Jedi Master's lightsaber flew out of his hand. "What?"

Anakin Skywalker and Jacen Solo stood in the doorway dripping wet. In Skywalker's hand was Luke's lightsaber. He didn't say anything, just stood there with his son's lightsaber hilt in hand. Luke collapsed back against the bed realizing what he had nearly done. He couldn't look at his sister; he just covered his face and sobbed.

--

"Zekk, I know just where he is. We lostTirre just like he's losing Ben." Zekk pulled his shirt over his head and tossed it away from him shaking his head.

"It's not the same. "Tirre…it was over in just a few seconds. With Ben, it's not that way." Jaina sat on the edge of their bed and watched him.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean. Luke…" He hesitated. "He's losing his son slowly, a little at a time." His voice softened. "We need to get him to block out the Force completely, to where he can't feel Ben at all."

"Zekk, that would kill him quicker than a blaster cannon, you know that." Jaina crawled under the quilt and Zekk joined her, nodding.

"Yeah, I know." He kissed her gently. "I think he'll be okay. It's your Uncle Luke we're talking about. And I think your grandfather is really helping; being a…moral support. If it weren't for him…" He let the sentence go. Jaina silently finished it as the lights faded. _Mom would have died._

--

To be just a reach away from freedom, to know the door is not locked and not be able to open it. To be mocked by the simple knowledge of it. That is where Ben Skywalker stood, or rather, lay. He was not chained or bound by energy binders. He was just tossed in a glass and stone room, just big enough to torture his mind about freedom, just small enough to confine it. Korth Vol kept the room surrounded by a Force wall. Ben could feel nothing beyond the walls around him. The ten year old turned his head, slowly, painfully, to look to his left. The two walls he could see were made of transparsteel, slowing the dark blue of water. It told him he was deep, deep enough to kill an escapee. The second he swam out unprotected, the pressure would kill him. But Ben knew he didn't have the strength to sit up, much less swim. One thought was constantly running through his mind. _Did Mom and Dad get my message?_

--

Hara Nempla blindly followed Kyp through the sand and away from the destroyed village. They walked for an hour before Hara could keep quiet.

"I'm sorry, Kyp, but why are we still going this way? Why can't we just go back the way we came?"

"Because we're already near half way point. We might as well keep going." Kyp answered shortly.

"Oh." Hara managed to keep quiet a while longer, but exhaustion and thesun was beginning to get to her. Before long, Kyp's figure began wavering back and forth before her eyes. Then he split in two. The two Kyps turned and said something but she didn't know what he said. Suddenly she was on the ground, face down in the sand.

"Come on, Nempla! Don't give up on me now! You can't do this!" Kyp said, his voice seemed so far away. Kyp handed her his canteen. She drank greedily, then dug her fingers into the sand, trying to gather any wayward strength to her and stand. Then suddenly her nails slammed into something very hard and cold. She jerked back in surprise. "Now what?"

"Shh!" Hara was weary of Kyp's voice, of his commanding. He never seemed pleased with anything she did or said. She wiped away the sand, revealing transparasteel and under that, water.

"Water? How in the worlds…" Kyp swept away more sand with his foot. A fish suddenly swam past them, sideways. "It's a gravity barrier!" He tapped on the transparasteel and it cracked easily. Hara started to stand when something caught her eye.

"Hey, there's something in there." A flash of light, like a corner suddenly caught in the sunlight.

"I don't see anything." Durron said. Hara rolled her eyes and grabbed his shoulders, moving him in front of her and down to her level. "Oh, hey! I see something!" He hesitated. "And I know what it is." He moved back away from the whole. "We gatta get down there." He searched his utility belt for something and pulled out a small strange-looking object.

"What is that?" Kyp held it out to Hara.

"An aqua breather. You can breathe underwater with them."

"Yeah, I figured that out. I don't have one." Hara said with a toss of her hands.

"Then you stay here. I'll be right back up as soon as I confirm what that is." He handed her his lightsaber then stomped on the cracked transparasteel. It shattered and flowed away with the currents. As Kyp shed his Jedi robe, Hara had to fight the sudden urge to kiss his cheek. Kyp felt her resistance and sent her an almost warm look. "I'll be fine. Don't worry." With that he handed her his robe and dove into the water, breather in his mouth. Hara held his lightsaber close and wondered what had come over her. _This is Kyp Durron you're thinking about!_

--

The moment Kyp hit the water he felt the gravity shift. He was suddenly going sideways. To his left was the generator that was causing the new pull. Stuck to that, pushed farther into the water was a building made of transparasteel and stone. There was nothing else in the water, so e swam towards the building. He stopped when he neared a bank of windows. It wouldn't do for someone to see a swimming Jedi out their window. He used the Force to make himself look like a large fish in someone else's eyes and swam towards the first window. What he saw made him gasp. _Ben Skywalker!_ He had found Master Skywalker's son and had no way to tell Master Skywalker.


	10. Kapas LaPadas

**Next chapter. I'm sorry for the little mistakes that you've most likely come across in the last three chapters. They were sort of thrown on the page and I didnt see them until after they got posted. I did go back and change a few things. Like in the last chapter when Jaina refered to how they lost "Luis"...thats supost to say Tirre. They had a boy in the notebook. So yeah, thats been changed. So you can go back if you want. Hopefully this one is a bit better.**

* * *

"Nothing, nothing, nothing! We've checked every single underwater jail house found and still no sign of him!" Jacen Solo said dropping into a chair.

"Don't give up yet, Jacen." Leia said handing him a cup if Tal. "There may be a few we haven't found."

"Or he's really not underwater. Vol could just be pulling illusions." Leia flinched.

"Let's stick to what we've got for now, Zekk." She said, but Jacen shook his head.

"He's right. It could be-"

_Ben. _It was a thought that echoed in the Jedi's minds. _Desert._

"It's Kyp! He must have found Ben!" Jaina cried.

"The desert side? But there's no way." Leia said.

"Gravity Barrier?" Jacen asked, setting his cup of Tal down on the caf table with the Force.

"Yeah. Yeah!" Leia jogged down the short hallway. "Father, Luke!" The men appeared in Anakin's doorway. "A gravity barrier!"

"What?"

"Kyp's message! Ben…desert." She said.

"But what's that got to do with a- of course!" Anakin headed for the living area.

"Father?" Luke still looked confused.

"Kapas LaPadas." Anakin said in amazement.

"What?" Now both of the Skywalker twins were confused.

"Kapas LaPadas. It means "sandy deep" in the native language. Back when the Old Republic still stood and I was about twelve, Kapas LaPadas was discovered. Chairman Lopli-Ka was afraid it would be used for trickery by his political enemies." Anakin explained. Leia rolled her eyes knowingly. "So he asked for a Jedi Knight to see to the matter. The Jedi Council sent Obi-Wan Kenobi and his padawan, me. After three months of debates, desert rides and blaster fire, both sides decided to let Obi-Wan hide Kapas LaPadas." Leia shook her head.

"I still don't understand. What exactly is it?"

"It was located under the Capital City on the desert side. It was a gravity barrier, a box, if you will that spanned the entire length and width of the city on the land side. It was full of water, with exotic fish and seaweeds, things one never found anywhere on Derratt. The Legend is that it was created and put on Derratt for future generations to find and enjoy. But it wasn't being used as a tourist attraction." Anakin said. Leia nodded.

"How did Obi-Wan hide it if it was the span of half the city?" Luke asked. Anakin smiled.

"He and I put a force barrier around it, blocking out anything else, then, with the Force, pushed it out from beneath the city out into the desert. The locals have added that to the Legend saying we pushed it out to dead center of the desert side; a place no one goes. We didn't know how far we pushed it; we just got it far enough out that no one would ever find it." He shrugged. "It drained us, especially me, being so young, but the threat was gone. I haven't been back on this world sense that mission."

"Do you think that's where Karth Vol is keeping Ben?" Luke asked hopefully. Anakin shrugged. They were quiet for a moment. "Do you remember where exactly you and Ben- I mean Master Kenobi left it?" Anakin closed his eyes for a moment and Leia could fell him stretching out with the Force. He nodded slowly.

"Yes. It's right there. Almost in the middle."

"Almost the middle?"

"Almost in the middle."

--

Mara Jade Skywalker wandered through the large black voice that was her son's mind. The void echoed with pain and helplessness.

"Ben! Ben, where are you?" She screamed. She could hear her words being echoed back to her in strange twisted voices. Some mocking her, some sounding like she'd screamed into a bottle, some normal. Just like before she was answered with a faint mumble that only she could understand. It came from her left so she veered off in that direction.

"Mom! Mom…" Ben's call came from all around her making it difficult for her to locate him. "Mom!" He was suddenly open to the Force, able to connect to her force-meld.

"Ben! Oh, Ben!" Mara held him close for the longest time, then took a look at him. He'd been beaten, truly, harshly beaten. He could barely hold himself up and he was covered in crisscrossing cuts and bruises.

"Mom, you've got to help me!" He cried. His connection to the Force began to fade. "Chorkl!" Mara threw herself out of the meld before the connection closed.

"We'll find you." She whispered.

--

Korth Vol threw his staff at his minion.

"Chorkl! Can you not do anything right?" He screeched.

"I is sorry, my master!" Chorkl cried, holding up his three hands. Chorkl was exactly that, a Chorkl. Korth had never seen anything like him before. But he was a good worker and was easily frightened.

"IT WILL NOT HAPPEN AGAIN!" Korth hissed knowing Chorkl was about to faint with fright.

"No! It will not happen-"

"Get out of my sight!" Chorkl scurried out of his throne hall. Korth sat hard on his chair and called his staff to him. Chorkl hadn't really done anything wrong, Vol just needed and outlet for his frustration. Luke Skywalker was holding his own well. Even as his wife collapsed, Master Skywalker held up. Korth Vol was very aware that Darth Vader was with Skywalker as well. Both Skywalkers together cannot be a good combination. And that Force- melding thing Mara Jade did had to stop. He couldn't let them get to Ben until he wanted them to. He just needed a way to break through Luke's barrier. As long as he has his wife, family and friends, he would hold up. _Then that's what I need to take away; everything. _

--

"Almost the middle?"

"Almost in the middle."

"What's going on?" The Skywalker's spun around to face a chuckling Mara. "You guys have some serious reflexes."

"Mara!" Luke snatched her up and held her close. Leia and Anakin turned away, embarrassed when he kissed her. "We think we know where Ben is." Mara nodded.

"Chorkl." She said. Luke stepped back.

"What?"

"It was the last thing Ben said to me before the meld broke."

"Chorkl. Huh. I've never heard of it."

"Come on, Luke!" Leia said from across the room. "You've got to leave now if you're going to get back in time for dinner."

--

Kyp Durron crossed his arms and pushed down farther into the sand. Nights in the desert were always cold and Kyp hated them. He glanced over at Hara feeling sorry for her. She was curled up and shivering, not use to conditioning herself. Kyp sighed inwardly and slid over to her. She looked up, alarmed.

"It's okay. You cold?" He asked, trying to not sound harsh with her for once. She started to shake her head, but the look on his face made her nod. It wouldn't do her much good to lie anyway. "Here." He tried to pull her upright but she fought him. "Oh come on, Hara, I'm not going to bite, you know." She started to say something then apparently changed her mind and sat up. Kyp pulled her into his arms and held her close to him.

"Kyp?"

"You're cold." He said flatly. She was stiff; like she was afraid he'd try something or hurt her. "Hara," Kyp finally whispered. "relax." After a moment she did.

"You know, you're a really bad Jedi Master." She said into his robes. He chuckled dryly.

"You're not the best Jedi Knight I've ever met either." Kyp suddenly found himself fighting the urge to kiss her. He couldn't remember a time when he had feelings for someone, anyone. Hara shifted and seemed to get heavier. Kyp glanced down. Her eyes were closed and she looked on the brink of sleep. There was something else too. It seemed sleep had momentarily torn her guard down. She looked absolutely exhausted but surprisingly content. _She likes me?_

_Yes._ It was Hara's mind that answered him. He tried not to cringe. Love was not something he was too terribly interested in. All he wanted to do was get off this forsaken planet.

_Next time, Luke can get someone else._

--

"Hey, wait! Look!" Jaina Solo pointed to something sticking partly out of the sand. Anakin Skywalker and her Uncle Luke jumped out of their land speeder to check it out. They were back shortly with grim faces.

"It's Kyp and Hara's speeder." Luke reported. He handed Jaina a small wooden carving.

"Hara's _Slaef._" She said, turning it in her hand. A small object Hara's mother had given Hara to remember her by. "If I know Kyp they kept going." Luke nodded.

"That's what I'm afraid of." He closed his eyes and concentrated on the sand stretching out before them, searching for their presence in the Force.

"They're at Kapas LaPadas." Anakin said. "We'd better keep going." Jaina sat in front between Zekk and Han who was driving. Luke and Anakin jumped in the back with Jacen. Night fell over the desert quickly. Jaina only hoped that Kyp and Hara were alright.

They reached the outskirts of what was suppose to be a small village by the time the sun went down.

"Oh, boy." Han said.

"This must be the village the Capital City lost contact with." Anakin said.

"I can see why." Han said. They set up camp in the village square for the night, and headed out again before sunrise. Jaina fell asleep on Zekk's shoulder almost right away.

"It's too early for this!" Jacen complained from the back seat.

"We're almost there." Luke said from the driver seat. They reached Kapas LaPadas just as the sun was rising over the horizon. The temperature jumped almost instantly. They climbed out of the speeder and walked towards a large sand drift. Jaina and Luke stopped dead in their tracks when they saw what was on the other side of the wall of sand. Kyp Durron and Hara Nempla lay curled up together, fast asleep. At first Jaina thought they were dead, but Luke knew better.

"As long as I've known Kyp…" Letting the sentence go, Luke nudged Durron's foot. "Hey, Kyp, rise and shine." He said instead. Kyp shot upright, his right hand leaving Hara's waist and going to his lightsaber hilt. Then he noticed who was standing over him.

"Skywalker? Jaina?"

"Getting a little cozy there, don't you think?" Jaina teased. Kyp glanced back at Hara who was just waking up.

"It was cold last night." He said, standing.

"So you-"

"Hey, it's better than freezing!"

"Okay, Kyp, calm down." Luke said helping Hara to her feet. "How are you?"

"Thirsty." Han came over from the speeder carrying what was left of their breakfast that Leia sent with them, and a canteen of water. "Thank you." Hara split it with Kyp and they downed it in a flash.

"We've found Ben. He-" Kyp was interrupted.

"You've found Kapas LaPadas." Luke relayed his father's story then the group headed towards the water hole. Jaina held onto Hara's arm.

"I think this is yours." She said, handing the younger girl her _Slaef_. "We found it at your wreck site. What happened?" Hara held the object close and shrugged.

"We don't really know. It was like something popped up just long enough to stop us, but there was nothing there. They began walking towards the gravity barrier slowly.

"How did you manage Kyp for so long? I'd have probably killed him by now." They laughed.

"I don't know. He's really not all that bad, I guess." Hara answered. Jaina shot her a knowing look.

_You like him._ She though accusingly. Hara blushed.

* * *

**So we finally get to meet Korth Vol. An interesting character to say the least. A bit in the shadows really. An idiot with dark side powers wanting revenge on the Skywalker family is basiclly all he really is. Of course, who dosnt want revenge on the Skywalker family. It seems thats all any bad guy wants anymore. sighz Just kidding.  
please review. Comments/Questions welcome.  
-PadmeOnPaper**


	11. Okay, new plan

**Hello everybody. I hope you like this next installment. It took me forever to get it typed. Hopefully it will be worth it. It's one of my favoite parts in the story.  
Disclaimer: Me and George is good friends. He say I write good.  
Please read and review.  
Hope you like it.**

* * *

Luke Skywalker pressed his face to the transparasteel. Ben was just on the other side lying on the floor in a heap. He tapped on the wall. Ben's head slowly came up and he stared amazed. He called out to Luke but exhaustion won him over and he fell back to the floor. _Ben!_ Someone tapped on his shoulder causing him to look around. Kyp Durron and his father were waving towards the hole in the desert floor. He shook his head. _No, not yet. _He had to find a way in that jail. He had to get his son out of there.

_Come on, Luke._ Reluctantly, he complied with his father's command, following him back up to the desert.

"We've got to get him out of there!" He cried the moment he could talk. "Who knows what they're doing to him. He could barely lift his head!"

"Uncle Luke, we need to get Hara and Kyp back to the city. They've been out her with no food and little water for three days."

"I'm fine-" Luke held up his hand to cut off Kyp's denial.

"Jaina's right." He sighed. "Let's go." They piled into the speeder solemnly. Jaina took the wheel and Han sat next to her with Kyp on his other side. Jacen sat in the back next to Anakin and Hara sat between him and Luke. It was well after dark before they caught sight of the city. It was eerie with no lights glowing to light the way and no sounds of speeders hurrying around the streets. Hara fell asleep, despite her efforts to stay awake, on Anakin's shoulder and Anakin smiled faintly. She looked so much like Padme for a split second; he had to keep himself from throwing his arms around her.

"Poor thing." He said softly, thinking of his beautiful wife. What he had put her through…he just couldn't think about it. Luke, thinking he was talking about Hara, said.

"She's been through too much too fast." The pain in his voice suggested he spoke with experience. "You know, she's technically only about four years younger than you." Anakin grinned.

"Are you trying to hook me up with her?" Luke started to protest. "You do realize then that your new step-mom would be Jaina's age?" Luke just laughed.

"She's grown up these last few days. Before their mission she was the most self-centered, spoiled, rich- girl Jedi you could ever meet. Leave it to Kyp to do something in three days that I couldn't do in three months." They heard Kyp chuckle from the front seat.

---------------------------------

Korth Vol paced his thrown room, hands clasped behind his back. Nothing was working. He didn't know what to do. Every plan he came up with got stifled before it could be carried out. He waved his hand in front of him and a picture appeared before him of his first plan. To take the Skywalkers out before they arrived. That didn't work because he'd not anticipated they'd use a different space lane. The second one appeared. To bomb Lennedo's, but that hadn't worked because they had left as fast as they got there. They didn't even stay long enough for a decent meal. He waved his hand and the next scheme appeared. Bomb the hotel where the Skywalkers were staying. That almost worked, then Chorkl dropped the bomb into the street and it went off under a speeder, blowing it clear into the sky. That ended that idea. He waved the pictures away and sat heavily on his thrown. He didn't know what he would do next. He had no idea, and now Skywalker had gotten Master Durron and that Jedi Knight Hara Nempla out of the desert side. He growled loudly and swept his hand to the side and placed it back on the arm rest. A Kovi plant from his native planet flew across the room and smacked against the wall.

"Master Vol, sir?"

"WHAT?" Chorkl cowered at his feet.

"Look in Skywalker's chamber, sir." He said falteringly. Vol scowled and waved his hand, forming a view of Ben Skywalker's cell in front of his face. Ben's head came up and he called out to something. Korth adjusted the view and saw three huge fish plastered against the transparasteel. The one closest to Ben wavered and changed to Luke Skywalker then back to the fish. After a few taps from the other two, he turned and swam away. Vol absentmindedly waved the image away.

"So Skywalker knows where Ben is now. The next thing he'll do is try to get him out." He said in a low voice.

"We will stop him!" Chorkl cried, poking the air above his head.

"No. We'll let him in, maybe even let him back out again." Chorkl's mouth dropped open.

"But, but…but-"

But, we'll make sure he knows what's happened to his sister while he's still here and helpless to do anything for her." Chorkl started to giggle, the noise getting louder and louder before Vol snapped the voice from him.

"Enough."

--------------------------------------

Leia smiled at the Zinkaya Council as she stepped into the waiting water speeder. When they could no longer see her, she let the smile drop and messaged her temple. She was running out of excuses. If no more came to mind, she would have no reason to stay on the planet. _Well, maybe for recreation._ Luke, Han, Zekk, Jacen, and Anakin Skywalker had left earlier that morning to stage a jail break. They had studied maps Kyp found of the "Hidden Jail of Kapas La Padas" the night before and declared themselves ready. Leia had been worried about them all through the meeting. Occasionally she would feel something from one of them and tense, bringing question from the observant council. She even thought she could feel Ben's presence at one point and got so excited some of the council members petitioned her crazy. The droid driving the water speeder suddenly veered off the street into a smaller alleyway.

"Hey, what-" Leia slammed into the side of the speeder, her hand falling to the hilt of her ever present lightsaber. The droid turned in his seat and produced a blaster from beside it. No longer being guided, the craft slammed into the walls and swerved all over the alley. Leia held herself up by the side of the craft and pulled her lightsaber out in time to block a shot then sheered off the tip of the blaster. The droid continued to snap the trigger. With a shake of her head, Leia jumped from the speeder into the water, extinguishing her blue- white blade as she went. The droid turned back around in his seat, apparently thinking he had killed his passenger and took off. Leia smacked the water with her lightsaber hilt in frustration. They were no closer to finding Ben's captor and now attempts were being made on her life. That thought made her remember where she was. With a quick dip, she swam back towards the main street and pulled herself up on the sidewalk. She tried to wring out her robes. "So much for dry cleaning." She mumbled to herself as she hurried down the walk in her sloshy shoes and skirts. Quite a few people gave her strange glances, and the few who recognized her stepped out of her path. Just as she reached the stone steps of their hotel, a skimmer rounded the corner, its driver held a blaster level to it's head and started shooting. Leia groaned. Her lightsaber was out quicker than the first shot reached her. She deflected the first two shots before something caught her from behind. She gave a strangled cry and spun around, a laser bolts catching her in the side and thigh. There were two of them. One in front and one behind, both wielding blasters. Leia tried to pull herself up the stairs, dragging her leg behind her and clutching her side. She sent a force push into the blaster coming from her right, jamming it. When the droid pressed the stud again, it blew up in its face sending it into the water. With one out of the way she hammed the other one while scooting up the steps. She fell in a heap just inside the doorway and called out to her sister- in- law. It took only a moment for Mara to respond to her.

"Oh, Leia!" The woman helped Leia to her feet and Jaina, who appeared just a second later, helped get her mother up to their room. "Who would do this?" Mara asked, dressing Leia's wounds. No one had an answer.

* * *

**Please review. It's rather discouraging when I dont know if someone has read my book or not. Please let me know what you think. Be brutal if you must...I can take it. I have faith in myself!!  
Just playin' 'round.  
R&R por favor!  
-PadmeOnPaper**


	12. Rescue Mission

**This chapter has a bit of what Qui-Gon would call "battle humor". I'm in a good mood so my writing will reflect that. Some of the old Ani comes out with his teasing and joking. Reminiscent of the beginning of 'Revenge'. Enjoy!**

* * *

Anakin and Luke Skywalker crawled through the waste duct looking for the right shoot.

"This is disgusting. Why couldn't we just bust through the sand and make everybody hold their hands up?" Anakin said spraying a slippery coating of disinfectant on the duct in front of them. Luke shook his head watching the spray.

"Because they would expect us to do that." Anakin gave him a death glare.

"Why do the brains of the operation _always_ say that?" Luke shrugged and crawled ahead of his father. "_I_ would have drilled a hole just above Ben's cell and drop down into the complex. We'd send Ben up to Han and his cousins then you and I would run around the complex until we found a control room or something and we'd flip the entire thing back to normal gravity." Luke stopped long enough to send his father an amazed look.

"Did Obi-Wan ever carry out of one your plans?" Anakin grinned.

"I wouldn't tell him what I was doing until it was a little too late to stop me." Luke shook his head. They continued to the end of the disinfectant then sprayed another layer.

"RepublicJedi, come in." Han's voice said over the comm. Anakin picked up his commlink and held it close to his face.

"RepublicJedi here, what is it SmugglerOne?" They were suppose to be keeping comm. Silence, so what his son- in- law had to say must be important.

"jrJedi has gotten the scanners hooked up. We're picking up only five or six life forms. There may be some droids, we're not sure." Luke nodded.

"Thanks, SmugglerOne." Anakin hooked the comm. back to his belt. "That means any guards they have will be droids."

"Or they're putting all their prisoners under being guards and using droids for everything else." Luke said turning down a different duct. Anakin followed him scowling jokingly.

"Well fine, ruin my fun…"

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Han and Jacen sat staring at the scanner watching the life forms move around. Han kept the comm. link on hand to update the Skywalkers as needed. Zekk sat in the backseat watching the sun slowly crawl over the sky feeling useless.

"Why didn't you guys just leave me behind?" He complained. I could be with Jaina instead of counting the ships I see coming into the atmosphere." He complained. Han glanced back at him, but only saw his hand which was tossed up on the top of the back seat.

"How many so far?" Han asked him, amused.

"Only three." Jacen snorted then flicked the sensor screen to the back seat. Zekk sensed it coming and caught it. He watched the little red dots move about the complex for a moment then tossed it back to his brother- in- law.

"What, too much excitement for you?" Jacen teased. Zekk made an annoyed sound.

"Here we go boys." Han said. "Anakin and Luke are on the screen. This is about to get interesting." He flipped the screen from life forms to heat index and got a few more figures including Anakin and Luke. "They're in a hurry." Zekk sat up and leaned over the front seat of the speeder to see.

"Where do you think they are now?" Han and Jacen shrugged in unison. Zekk rolled his eyes and flopped back on his seat, trying to watch the screen through the force.

"Uh-oh" Zekk sat back up at Jacen's voice.

"What?" Han picked up his comm. link.

"RepublicJedi, you've got problems around the next corner."

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"RepublicJedi, you've got problems-" Anakin and Luke were in motion even before Han got his complete message out. They stunk from being in the sewer pipes and Luke's leg was cramping up on him, but they were good to go. They ran down the large gray hallway the way they had come and ducked into a doorway on their left. Anakin hit the door's controls and it beeped. The door remained open.

"Oh great." He pushed the door with the force and it slid closed just as a droid reminiscent of Trade Federation battle droids rounded the corner. Luke looked around the room as Anakin monitored the droid. The room was a closet. It held everything needed for cleaning the complex save the cleaning droid. "He's around the next corner," Anakin said. Luke nodded and the two men stepped out of the closet. "phew you stink." Luke made a face.

"You don't smell much better."

"MasterS, RepublicJedi?" This time Luke answered the call.

"We're still in one piece. Thanks for the heads up."

"That's what we're here for."

"That's what most of us are here for." Anakin raised an eyebrow. Luke shook his head as he stuck his comm. link back to his belt.

"Zekk. I'm guessing Han and Jacen are hogging the scanner." Anakin chuckled at the explanation.

"MasterS," He said. "That's really creative." Luke rolled his eyes.

"Keep moving, we've got to be close." They rounded the next corner when both Skywalkers felt it. Luke gave a cry and grabbed at his leg. Anakin winced and grabbed Luke's shoulder. Both men went down. A moment later they stood back up. "That was Leia." Luke said tightly. "What's happened?" Anakin closed his eyes and reached back past the desert looking for his daughter's presence. He found her.

"She's with Mara now. I think it was an attack. I'm not sure." The comm. cracked.

"What just happened?" Han's voice. "Jacen and Zekk just nearly passed out on me."

"It was Leia. Anakin thinks she may have been attacked."

"What!" Anakin interjected.

"She'll be okay now. She's with Mara and Jaina." Anakin closed his eyes a second then opened them and nodded. "The quicker we get Ben and get out of here, the sooner we can get back and make sure she's alright." The Skywalkers, now much more serious, hurried down the hall and into an open courtroom. They had to find Ben, and soon.

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Kyp Durron woke with a start. Something was wrong. I voice suddenly rang through the force, so faint he almost couldn't make it out. _Mara! Jaina! Mara! _Leia? He jumped out of bed and pulled his robe on as he ran out the bedroom door. Jaina and Hara were already in the living area with worried looks on their faces.

"What happened?" Kyp asked. The girls turned to him.

"We don't know yet." Jaina said. "Mara is heading downstairs now." She began to pace back and forth. Hara headed over to the window to see if she could catch a glimpse of either woman. Kyp followed her.

"Are you okay?" She nodded. "You sure?" She smiled up at him then nodded again. Jaina ran out the door into the hallway. Kyp watched the door close then slipped an arm around Hara. She leaned into him for the moment, closing her eyes. He looked down at her and smiled faintly. The moment was shattered when Jaina and Mara burst through the door with Leia between them. Hara rushed to help them leaving Kyp alone at the window. Knowing he'd only be in the way, he went back to his room to change into his clothes. When he came back out, the women were in Leia's bedroom, so he went back to the window and looked out over the city at the desert beyond. He sighed, wishing he could've gone with Skywalker and the rescue team. He wondered how they were doing, if they were out yet. He almost doubted it. Hara's presence caught his attention. She stepped out of Leia's room and walked over to stand beside him.

"She's doing alright." She said, answering his unasked question about Leia Solo. When he didn't say anything she glanced up at him. "What's wrong?" He looked down into her green-brown eyes.

"Hara…" He didn't know what to say. He reached up with his hand and gently ran his fingers though her hair. She didn't pull away from his touch so he moved closer.

"Kyp?"

"Shh. You're-" His words were cut off as their lips met. He reached for her through the force, wrapping her in warm comfort as she slipped into his arms.

"Hara, could you-" At Jaina's voice, Kyp pushed Hara away from him and turned back to the window without a second glance. Hara gazed at him for a long moment then headed towards Jaina to see what she needed. When he was alone again, Kyp sank onto the edge of the sofa with his head in his hands.

_You love her, Durron._ His mind taunted him.

"I know."

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**Please review!**


	13. Ben!

**FINALLY! I know most all of you are most likely a little ticked. Yes, it took me a little bit to get this thing up, but I think I done did good. Please review it!**

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Anakin Skywalker stopped suddenly and threw his hand up. Luke stopped just behind his hand then looked around it.

"What?" He asked in a whisper. From where he stood he couldn't see around the corner. Something was there, he just didn't know what. Anakin pulled his lightsaber off his belt and held it at ready. Confused, Luke did the same. "What is it?" Again Anakin ignored the question and eased around the corner. Luke stepped up to the corner but not around it and reached out through the force. A droid. His father was flipping out over a droid. _Although it could be a battle droid._ Luke heard the pop-hiss of a lightsaber being activated then there was a rather feminine squeal.

"You put that thing away this instant young man! You nearly scared the whit right out of me!" Luke rounded the corner to find Anakin, standing with his lightsaber ignited but pointing to the ground, being confronted by a nanny droid. Luke dropped his lightsaber to his side and hid his amusement with his hand.

"You have _got_ to be kidding me." He laughed as Anakin got backed towards him by the droid. Then, with a final order, it spun around and headed off down the hallway. The moment it disappeared around the far corner, Luke laughed out loud. "Now, _that_ would be the worst thing that could happen," He said, laughing all the harder. "getting drug to the boss by a startled nanny droid!" Anakin scowled at him and hooked his lightsaber back to his belt.

"It's not that funny." He growled. Luke ignored him and kept on laughing. Anakin shouldered past him and headed down the hallway, following the droids path.

"Luke, come on. It may have reported seeing us and we can't afford that." He said. Luke sobered and jogged to catch up to his father.

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Ben Skywalker's eyes flew open. He groaned and rolled onto his back. Every part of his body was killing him. Even places he didn't even know he had. He stared at the ceiling for a moment before noticing something was different. He could see out of both eyes, where as the last time he woke up, one had been swollen shut. He still hurt, but not in the same way he had last time he'd been conscious. And there was something else, but he couldn't put his finger on it. Then, when he felt a familiar presence to his left, it hit him. He had access to the force. But why? Deciding not to linger on it, he reached out towards, what he was sure, was his father.

_Dad!_

Someone else answered his call.

_Are you alright?_

For a moment Ben didn't answer. He couldn't figure out who this person was; he didn't recognize his signature in the force. But at the same time, he was somewhat familiar. Then he remembered. Anakin Skywalker, his grandfather. Ben's silence must have scared his father and grandfather because it was Luke that called out next.

_Ben? Are you alright?_

_Yes._ He sent back quickly. He almost couldn't believe that he was okay. He hadn't been okay in. He squinted and his view of the duracrete above him blurred. He didn't know how long he'd been here.

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"Where is he, though!?" Luke said in a harsh whisper. They could communicate with him, but couldn't figure out how to get to him. Anakin shushed him for the fifth time and continued crawling trough the ventilation duct.

"_Why is it always the ventilation duct?"_ Anakin asked himself silently. He flinched as he slid his knee over a seam. It was cramped, but a little roomier than others. At least it didn't need to be sprayed.

"Father-" Anakin stopped, causing Luke to collide into him from behind.

"He's right below us."

"How do you know?" Luke tried his best to look around the other man, but he took up all the space. He didn't really expect to see anything anyway. Anakin looked back at his son with a 'you're kidding right?' look.

"I'm the Chosen One." He shrugged. Luke rolled his eyes and Anakin yanked his lightsaber off his belt. "Here goes." He held the business end of the weapon against the floor of the duct and ignited it. The smell of melting metal caused Luke to cover his nose, but Anakin didn't flinch away. He cut a hole big enough for both of them to slip through then switched off his saber and placed it back on his belt. "I hope this works." He mumbled to himself as he shifted around in the duct. Luke peered at the cut metal from over Anakin's shoulder.

"What do you mean?" He asked suspiciously. Anakin just shrugged then stomped on the loose piece and it fell through.

"Look out below!" He cried, then jumped through the hole. Luke scooted forward and gathered the force around him before jumping through after his father. He landed on top of the circle of metal that had fallen before them, and looked around. Anakin was headed towards a duracrete slab coming out of the wall with someone lying on it. _Ben._

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Kyp and Hara had managed to avoid each other the rest of the day, but when news came in a short burst from Anakin's comm. link that they'd found Ben, they found themselves embracing in front of everyone. For half a second, Kyp didn't care. It felt good to be open about his feelings for once. Then, it did matter. He pulled his emotions back into himself and pushed the younger Jedi away from him. He caught Leia and Mara exchanging glances from across the room and glared in their direction. They needed to keep their disapproval to themselves. Or was it approval he saw in their glance. He didn't know. Ignoring whatever Hara was trying to say, he stalked off down the hall to be happy about Ben by himself.

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Luke embraced his son the moment the boy smiled at him. He looked fairly well. His clothes were only worn and Luke was sure it was the same outfit he'd had on the day he disappeared. He also had traces of bruises on his face, but they had obviously been healing on their own. He looked his son over once more, and then pulled him back into an embrace.

"We were so worried." He said. Ben nodded. "You're mother was the worst." Ben chuckled.

"Luke?" Anakin tapped Luke's shoulder gently. He could sense something coming. A dark blot in the force that grew as it drew near. He didn't know if Luke and Ben could sense it, but he knew it was there and that was good enough for him. "Luke!" He said more urgently. Luke finally let Ben go and turned to Anakin, holding onto Ben's arm.

"What's wrong?" He asked when he saw his father's face. Anakin glanced from what he thought would be the cell's entrance and back to Luke.

"I think we're going to have company." He said, uneasy. Anakin felt Luke reach out and find the dark void Anakin had earlier discovered.

"What is it?"

"I don't know." Luke said. "Let's get out of here." Anakin nodded, then force jumped himself back into the ventilation duct. Luke turned to Ben.

"Are you strong enough to do this?" Ben was silent a moment, then nodded.

"I think so."

"Then you go first." Ben nodded again and gathered himself in the force, then jumped with everything he had. He felt his father's help and made it to the duct only to begin falling back down again. He fell fast, then slowed and stopped. He looked up to find Anakin concentrating hard, his eyes closed. Ben began floating back up again, and was laid gently on the duct floor. Anakin opened his eyes and let out a breath. Ben's eyes grew in admiration of his father's father. The Chosen One.

"T-Thanks." He said with difficutly. He must have been a little more shook up than he thought. Anakin nodded and smiled, then Luke joined them. With Anakin in the lead and Luke trailing behind Ben, they slowly made their way back the way Anakin and Luke had come, all the while keeping tabs on the dark mass that continued to get closer no matter how fast they crawled.

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Han watched the three dots on his scanner that he hoped was Anakin, Luke, and Ben slowly work through what looked like the ventilation system. But something else had caught Jacen's attention.

"What's that?" He pointed to something growing at the right edge of the screen. It was colored yellow as an unknown. Han reached for his comm. link to let Anakin and Luke about the unknown, but Jacen stopped him. "They already know. They don't know what it is either." Zekk piped up from the backseat.

"It's dark. They're going to have to fight it." Han and Jacen glanced back at the extended member of their family.

"How do you know?" Han asked. Zekk's eyes were closed and he didn't move for a long moment.

"It's using the force." He finally said. Han turned back to his scanner.

"Oh, boy."

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**And there you have it. Chapter 12. Took awhile huh. But now that you've been suspenced, I guess I'll have to crank out the next one. sigh  
-PadmeOnPaper  
Please review. I love reviews.**


	14. Hey guys

Hey everybody,

I've been getting quite a few reviews telling me to DO SOMETHING! And I've been wanting to, but my computer has, like, crashed, so I can't do anything. When it's back up and running I PROMISE you I'll try and update!

Thanks to everybody who's been reading this and for all the reviews! It's appreciated!

-PadmeOnPaper


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